MinnPost
Opinion: Ruthe Batulis and Jason George

When you measure job creation, Minnesota is doing better than most states today. If we wish to continue this trend for 2013 and beyond, we must always be working to attract industries that can generate good paying jobs for our citizens.

The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 represents 13,000 heavy-equipment operators, most of which make their living building the infrastructure of Minnesota. The Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce represents businesses of all kinds in the Southeast Suburbs of the Twin Cities. Business and labor don’t always agree, but when it comes to job creation, and specifically the jobs that will come with the mining of strategic metals in Northern Minnesota, we couldn’t agree more. 

Minnesota is fortunate to have an abundance of natural resources. We are literally, “by nature” an agricultural state, a timber state and a mining state. The jobs these industries have brought have raised families for generations here. We have an emerging prospect right now in Northeast Minnesota for the mining of strategic metals. Metals such as copper, nickel, platinum, palladium, cobalt and gold are known to be plentiful and now accessible. One of several deposits already has over 4 billion tons of these minerals identified.

Mesabi Daily News
Opinion: Bill Travis

In Northeastern Minnesota, jobs growth and long-term prosperity are tied to a thriving mining industry.

The current publicly reported estimates of the nonferrous mining opportunities suggest there are very significant deposits with a 50-year-plus project life, providing good jobs and career opportunities, significant tax revenues and long-term prosperity for our region.

Our governor, legislators and our president need to get fully behind the mining industry and demonstrate more leadership and can-do, will-do attitude to make sure the Minnesota nonferrous opportunities are capitalized upon.

Mesabi Daily News
Editorial

Two lawmakers — one in Washington and one in St. Paul — who have represented the Iron Range for considerably different length of tenures, but both with a strong passion for mining and jobs in the region, are no longer on the job as new sessions of the Legislature and Congress begin.

Former state Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Pike Township, did not seek re-election in November and resigned after serving 16 terms. Former Republican 8th District U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack, who stunned former Rep. Jim Oberstar in the heavily Democratic 8th District, was defeated in his re-election bid.

They were political parties apart on most issues. But when it came to mining and the jobs created and those that should have already been created, they were always solid in their support for taconite and copper/nickel/precious metals ventures.

Ely Echo

Private sector investment in non-ferrous leases and mineral exploration is up significantly in recent years. While exploration is active, non-ferrous metallic mining has not been permitted in Minnesota to date. The mineral royalty revenue potential to the school trust from non-ferrous sources is significant.

The DNR’s Division of Lands and Minerals currently estimates that three non-ferrous metallic mineral deposits identified as potential mines could generate $2.4 billion in added revenue to the Permanent School Fund over the life of the mines.

Pioneer Press
Opinion: Val Vargas

I applaud the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council for coming together to promote economic growth and job creation in Minnesota (“Metals mining in Minnesota means a hundred years of jobs and revenue,” Nov. 16).

Together, they formed a coalition aptly titled Jobs for Minnesotans. When business and labor are able to partner on an issue, such as strategic metals mining, it’s one Minnesotans should pay attention to and support.